Oakland: Third defendant convicted in botched robbery of ATF agent

OAKLAND -- A 19-year-old Richmond man involved in an attempted robbery and assault of an undercover federal agent last year could face life in prison after his conviction Thursday.

Khusar Mobley was convicted of all four counts against him -- including assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a robbery, robbery and brandishing of a firearm -- after a four-day jury trial, according to Melinda Haag, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California.

He faces a maximum of life in prison and up to $1 million in fines when he is sentenced on Oct. 23.

According to Haag, Mobley used a loaded weapon in an attempt to rob the ATF agent during an undercover operation. Mobley's co-defendants -- his cousin, 24-year-old Otis Mobley, Jr. and friend, 20-year-old D'Marce Hutcherson -- pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 114 months and 104 months in prison, respectively, in May.

Federal prosecutors said Hutcherson and Khusar Mobley brandished guns at the ATF agent while Otis Mobley, Jr., who had told an informant he was looking to sell an illegal grenade launcher, waited outside the agent's undercover vehicle.

The March 28 incident took place in the parking lot of a Richmond restaurant and ended when a plainclothes officer shot Hutcherson.

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Otis Mobley, Jr. previously made headlines when a federal judge in Oakland ordered him released on bail on the condition he read books from a court-approved list for an hour each day and spend another 30 minutes writing book reports for the court.

Federal prosecutors appealed the bail order, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered him held in custody.